detail information

 Test Machine:

Computer:

• Processor - Athlon XP 2400+ (T-Bred B)
• RAM - 512 GB DDR PC400
• Graphics Card - GeForce 4 MX 440
• Hard Disc 1: 80 GB Samsung SV0802N
• Hard Disc 2: 30 GB Western Digital ST330621A
• Optical Drive 1: NEC ND 3540A LD1.W4
• Optical Drive 2: BTC DRW 1108IM V0430

Source for capturing:

• Digital Camcorder - Samsung VP-D24

 Software Requirements:

The software requirements for the program are as follows,

• Operating Systems:
  Microsoft Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP

• Memory:
  128 MB SDRAM (256 DDR is recommended)

• Processor:
  VCD movie making: Intel Pentium II 450 MHz, or AMD Athlon 500 MHz
  DVD movie making: Intel Pentium III 700 MHz or AMD Athlon 700 MHz
  DV real time capture: Intel Pentium 4 2.2 GHz or AMD Athlon 2200+ GHz

• Video Capture Device:
  Analogue video capture: WDM compliant capture devices
  DV: OHCI IEEE 1394 compliant devices
  DSC: WIA supported devices, USB interface

• Hard Disk Space:
  VCD: 1 GB or higher of available space
  DVD: 5 GB or higher of available space

 Supported disc - and file- formats:

Disc formats (DVD):

• DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, DVD+R DL

Disc formats (CD):

• CD-R, CD-RW

DVD-formats:

• DVD-Video, DVD+VR, DVD-VR (editable formats)

CD-formats:

• VCD, SCVD, DivX

Audio formats:

•   .mp3, .wav, .wma

Picture input formats:

•   .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .psd

Video input formats:

• .mpg, .mpeg, .avi, .dat, .wmv, .asf, .vob, .dvrms

Software Installation:

The download of the 269MB for the PAL version was a bit of a torture with my, (on this day) very slow ADSL connection. After the download was finished the installation process was started quickly by double-clicking the setup file.

The installation itself was straightforward and completed with out any problems. After entering the CD Key the following applications where installed.

• PowerProducer 3 Deluxe
• PowerDirector Express
• PhotoNow 1.0
• Quicktime Player 6.3 (if not already installed)
• DivX Pro (Version 5.2.1; 6 month trial version)

Program Run Through:

The first screen after you start PowerProducer is a wizard with the five main program groups of the software and also a short description of what's behind the single program parts.

CyberLink split's the software into 5 different program parts; let's take a look what's behind.

Produce movie disc, the first and for sure the biggest program section of Power Producer 3. It enables you to create movie discs, determines if it is DVD, (S)VCD, DivX or editable DVDs, from various types of movie files and photos.

Right-to-disc, should be chosen if you like to transfer your video file from the source (Digital Camcorder, VCR, TV or PC-camera) directly onto DVD. Depending on the disc type that you choose, will determine if the resulting disc is editable or if it is finalised.

Edit Disc is more or less self-explanatory. Edit with Produce Movie Disc or Right-to-Disc will create a movie DVD.

Open Project, once more self-explaining.

Disc utilities, offers you a lot of more or less useful disc utilities, such as Copy Disc, Defragment Disc, Make Compatible, Erase Disc, Burn from or save disc image, Burn from DVD folder, export to file and Finalize/Unfinalize.

CyberLink also provides easy to understand and short explanations for almost all of the technical terms used to the inexperienced user.

For now there's not a lot more to say, so let's go and test PowerProducer on its ability to create movie discs.

Introduction

Produce Movie Disc - Part 1